The Best Audiobooks of All Time Might Actually Have You Hoping for a Traffic Jam

As anyone whose commute is longer than 20 minutes can attest, podcasts are game changers for passing the time productively. While I'd never dream of unsubscribing from This American Life, I'm always looking for new ways to make the most of my commute. Enter audiobooks. Offering hours of entertainment, these narrated novels are so good that I've actually found myself hoping for traffic jams on numerous occasions. Yes, really.

Ranging from classic bookshelf staples such as The Handmaid's Tale and To Kill a Mockingbird to modern memoirs such as Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Hunger, these audiobooks are must-listens. Convinced to queue up a book on tape to make the most of your commute tomorrow morning? Keep scrolling to download the best audiobooks of all time (in this writer's humble opinion) to get started. Trust me, you'll be hooked.

While Nathan Hill's novel about the complicated relationship between an aspiring writer and his estranged mother is a must-read in its own right, it was also named the best audiobook of 2016 by Audible. Narrator Ari Fliakos nails the balance between heart and humor in his performance.

Maggie Nelson narrates her genre-bending novel that's part memoir, part social commentary in this audiobook. A must-listen for insight into love, marriage, motherhood, and more from one of the most important writers of our time.

Deemed the best thriller and mystery audiobook of 2017 by Audible, Behind Her Eyes is the perfect audiobook for fans of psychological thrillers. Even Steven King called Sarah Pinborough's mystery about a modern-day love triangle "bloody brilliant."

Lincoln in the BardoWritten by George SaundersNarrated by Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, Carrie Brownstein, Miranda July, and a full cast

Arguably the most anticipated audiobook of all time, the narrated version of Saunders's novel about the relationship between President Lincoln and his beloved son features a star-studded cast with some of our favorite actors reading alongside some of our favorite authors.

Narrator Sissy Spacek brings Harper Lee's Pulitzer-winning masterpiece to life in this audiobook. If you need some convincing before downloading this pick, the audiobook for this beloved novel has over 20,990 reviews on Audible and an overall rating of 4.8 stars.

You've probably already noticed that we're big Joan Didion fans here at MyDomaine, so it should come as no surprise that we fully endorse the audiobook version of Slouching Towards Bethlehem, narrated by Diane Keaton, no less.

Audible's pick for 2017 audiobook of the year is a poignant novel that's especially relevant given the current social climate. Narrator Bahni Turpin gives voice to this must-read book inspired by Black Lives Matter.

When it comes to ranking books that make us ugly-cry, Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch is definitely a contender for the top of the list. The story of a young boy who gets mixed up in the dangerous world of selling art on the black market is beautifully narrated by David Pittu, who won the 2014 Audie Award for the best male narrator for his standout performance.

Audible named Kristin Hannah's best-selling novel about two sisters tragically separated during World War II audiobook of the year in 2015. Polly Stone's narration of this heartwrenching and beautiful novel is flawless.

Yaa Gyasi's tour de force debut traces two branches of a family tree over the course of 300 years, from slavery to modern day and from Ghana to the United States. Last year, the audiobook version of the novel received an Audie Award in the literary fiction category.

The hilarious and insightful David Sedaris narrates his memoir Me Talk Pretty One Day and talks about his attempts to learn French, performs a surprisingly great Billie Holiday impression, and discusses his childhood.

Yes, you read that correctly. Meryl Streep narrates Colm Tóibín's critically acclaimed novel The Testament of Mary that presents Mary as an aging woman who's still grappling with the death of her son, Jesus, and the concept of religion more generally.

Last year, Hulu's critically acclaimed adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale catapulted Margaret Atwood's classic dystopian novel to the top of best-seller lists all over the world. Audible's original audiobook, narrated by Claire Danes, is just the refresher you need before season two premieres this spring.

In maybe one of our favorite audiobooks of all time, Tina Fey narrates her laugh-out-loud funny and insanely quotable memoir. From a self-professed nerd to an incredibly successful comedian and actor, listen to Fey tell her own story in this must-download audiobook.

In the audiobook version of one of our favorite novels of all time, the incomparable Toni Morrison narrates her own story about two childhood best friends who navigate their friendship after their lives take drastically different turns in adulthood.

Trust us, Patti Smith's narration of her memoir Just Kids deserves a spot in your audiobook queue. Her firsthand account of her friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is honest and moving to say the least.

The New York Times best-selling author Roxanne Gay narrates her thought-provoking memoir. Her honest discussion of her relationship with food and her self-image results in a candid and vulnerable performance that's not to be missed.

Accurately described as a "deliciously funny and shockingly delectable" audiobook, Anthony Bourdain takes listeners into the underbelly of the culinary world in this narration of his acclaimed memoir. And you'll savor every second of it.

The audiobook version of McNamara's compulsively readable investigation into the Golden State Killer, a serial raper and murderer who committed crimes up and down the California coast for over a decade, includes an introduction by best-selling thriller author Gillian Flynn and an afterword by her husband, comedian Patton Oswalt.